Flange-lubricator.



J. H. MINER.

FLANGE LUBRIGATOR.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 12, um.

1,120,075. Patented Dec. 8, 1914.

illllTlU PATENT FFHJE.

JAMES H. MINER, 0F LUMBERION, MISSISSIPPI.

FLANGE-LUBRICATOR.

menace.

Application filed December 12, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

lle it known that 1, JAMES Haney Minna, citizen of the United States, residing at Lumberton, Mississippi, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Flange-lmbriicators, off which the it'ollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in devices for applying a lubricant to the flanges of oar-wheels for reducing friction and wear, and lessening the'liabilityo't an engine or car leaving the rails in rounding curves in the track.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and e'ti'ective device in which oil or lubricant will be fed positively to the flange so long as the car is in motion around a curve but which will stop the feeding of lubricant if the car should come to rest upon a curve.

With these and other objects in view, the invention includes the features of construe: tion and arrangement and combination. of parts hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the claims, it being understood that I do not wish to limit myself with regard to the ditl'erent parts of my invention.

I have illustrated the invention in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 shows the invention as applied to a locomotive, only a sufficient portion of the locomotive being shown to illustrate the application of the device thereto. This view is partly in section. Fig. 9. shows a detailed view in section of the valve operating mechanism.

In the drawings the numeral 1 indicates the truck or engine frame, 2 the wheels thereof, and 8 the axle. From the truck 1 depend pipes 4 having nozzles 5 terminating in proximity to the flanges of the forward wheels and arranged to feed lubricant to the flanges at the top of the wheels. The pipes 4 are connected to valve-chambers 6 on the opposite side of the car from the wheel they feed, and which are hereinafter more fully described. These valve-chambers are connected by pipes 7 to any source of oil-supply where the oil may be maintained under pressure, as, for instance, the tank indicated at 8. Within the valve chambers 6 are located valve members 9 and 10 each having a passage therethrough for conducting the oil from the pipes 7 to the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 8, 191 1.

Serial no. 806,274.

pipes 1 when the valve members are in the proper position as the member 9 in Fig. 1.

The valve-chambers (3 are vertically placed over the opposite ends of a horizontal cylinder or tube 11, and open thereinto. The valve members I) and 10 are slidably secured in the alve chambers and have their upper iaces inclined at 12 and 13, the incline at 12 being greater thanthe incline at 13. In the closed position of the valve, rolling or sliding weights such as the balls 14; and 15 rest upon the valve members (see 10, Fig. 1). In the open position of the valves (9, Fig. l) the balls roll oil' the valve member, one before the other due to the difference of incline between 12 and 13, and rest in openings 16 and 17, provided for their reception in the valve chambers (3. These openings 16 and 17 may be slightly inclined so that as soon as the valve member begins to descend, they will roll upon its inclined faces. Fulcrumed to the tube 11 in proximity to the valve chambers G are levers 18 having arms or projections 19 adapted to bear upon the valve members 9 and 10. The tube 11 is supported in a horizontal position by the truck and contains a. gravity weight weighing slightly less than the combined weight of a valve member and its balls, such as the ball 20, which is designed to roll freely within the tube 11 in case the tube is inclined in either direction, as would happen were the car to enter upon a curve in the track toward the right or left. The tube 11 has a depression at 21 in the bottom of the tube and central thereof, which acts as a seat to normally hold the ball 20 therein against the ordinary joggle of the train on level track. In the bottom of the tube I may place spring members 22 of a shape substantially that shown in Fig. 1 secured to the ends of the tube at 23. Setscrews 24 are provided in the wall of the tube for adjusting the free ends of the springs 22 nearer to or away from the bottom of the tube for the purpose of lessening the impact of the ball upon the levers 18 and thereby lessening the flow of oil to the flanges if it is so desired.

The operation of the invention is as follows: On the level track, the parts are as shown at 10 in Fig. 1. lVhen a curve is entered, the elevation of one side of the truck and the consequent incline of the tube causes the weight or ball to roll out of its seat and down the incline of the tube until it strikes the fulcrumed lever with sufiicient impact to raise the valve member against the weight of the balls to its open position which allows the oil to pass through the pipe 4 to the wheel on the opposite and upper side of the truck. The nozzle 5 is arranged to cause the oil to be impinged upon the flange. As soon as level track is reached again, the ball will roll back to its seat and the valve parts will return to their normal position,

as shown at 10 in Fig. 1, because of the balls thereby stopping entirely any further feeding of oil to the flanges. In employing the balls 14. and 15, I secure a varying pressure on the valve members following an impact of the ball because as soon as the valve members begin to ascend, the balls roll down the inclines and off the members entirely, one first and then the other, so that 16y ofier less and less resistance against the valve members as they near their open positions. Then with this arrangement the impact of the ball through the lever will open the valve and as after the instant of opening the pressure exerted by the balls grows less, the mere weight of the ball will hold the valve open even though it is not heavy enough in itself to cause the initial openin This assures a steady and continuous flow of oil so long as the curve is being passed over, whereas if a valve member having a constant weight were used, it would close the instant following that of the balls impact and the desired flow would not result. Again, with the weight of the ball less than that of a valve member and its apparatus, the ball can not open the valves by merely resting against the levers or even by slowly striking them so that no oil will be fed to the flanges when the train is standing on a curve.

What I claim iS:

1. In combination in a flange lubricator, an oil supply, feed connections from said supply to each wheel to be lubricated, a

Copies of this patent may be obtained for valve in each connection for controlling the flow of oil, gravity means for exerting pressure of varyingdegree upon said valves and valve operating means.

2. In combination in a flange lubricator, an oil supply, feed connections for controlthe flow of oil from said supply to each wheel to be lubricated, a valve in each connection, balls carried by said valves exerting a varying pressure thereon, and valve operating means.

3. In combination in a flange lubricator, an oil supply, feed connections from said supply to each wheel to be lubricated, a valve in each connection for controlling the flow of oil, gravity means for exerting a diminishing pressure upon said valves as they are opened, and valve operatin means.

4. In combination in a flange lu ricator, an oil supply, feed connections from said supply to each wheel to be lubricated, a valve in each connection for controlling the flow of oil, gravity means for exerting an increasing pressure upon said valves as they are closed, and valve operating means.

5. In a flange lubricator, an oil supply, feed connection from said supply to each wheel to be lubricated, a guideway, a movable weight therein, oil feeding means operated by the impact of said weight, and means in said guideway for varying the impact of said weight.

6. In a flange lubricator, an oil supply, feed connections from said supply to each wheel to be lubricated, a :guideway, a movable weight therein, oil feeding means operated by the impact of said weight and flat springs in said guideway adjustable to and from the bottom thereof for varying the im pact of said weight.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES H. MINER. Witnesses:

W'. B. Jones, H. C. YARON.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of IPatems,

Washington, D. 0. 

